Speculum.



G. H. BORDEN.

SPEGULUM.

APPLIUATION Hmm 113.13, 190s.

922,845. Patented May 25, 1909.

CHARLES I-I. BORDEN,

PATENT OFFICE@ OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO EARLE TERRY SMITH, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

SPE CULUM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1909.

Application led February 18, 1908. Serial No. 416,554.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it lrnown that I, CHARLES II. BORDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Speculum, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to the construction of a nasal or ear speculum, but it is applicable of course to the construction of specula designed to be used for dilating other canals and cavities of the human body and facilitating an examination of their interior.

The object of the invention is to provide a very simple instrument of this nature which can be readily inserted into a canal or cavity and opened the desired amount for dilating the walls of such canal or cavity and held 'firmly in such condition therein, by the fingers of one hand of the physician or surgeon, leaving the other hand of the medical operator free to manipulate any instrument or apparatus necessary for the purpose of operating upon or treating the interior of the cavity opened by the speculum, and then closed and removed with one hand.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings shows a rear elevation of a bi-valvular speculum that embodies the invention. Fig. 2 shows a similar view of the same instrument with the tubular sections, or so-called valves, opened. Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the instrument. Fig. 4 shows a section on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow on Fig. 2.

The form of instrument illustrated has a pair of semi-cylindrical shells or valves l which are designed to be thrust into the canal or cavity and then separated for dilating the walls thereof so that the surgeon may examine and treat or operate upon the interior without interference. Each of these valves is attached to a limb 2 of the body 3 of the sectional frame. One frame section has a projecting arm or slide bar 5 that may be formed of wire with one side flattened or of l a bar of angular cross section. The other frame section has a projecting arm or bar 6 with a sleeve 7 that is fitted to move along the bar 5.

In the body of one section of the frame there is secured a finger pad 8 which is preferably roughened or provided with projections so that it can be Afirmly gripped by the thumb and second iinger of the operator. The bar 6 is provided with a finger piece 9 that preferably has its edge milled or toothed so that it can be gripped by the foreiinger of the operator, and moved baclr and forth along the bar 5 when the pad S on the other section of the frame is gripped between the thumb and second finger of the operator.

In using this device the operator grips the iinger pad on one section of the frame between the thumb and second finger, usually of his left hand, and applies the forefinger of the same hand to the linger piece attached to the other frame section. ith the parts held in this manner the shell with the valves closed is thrust into the channel or cavity, and then with the other fingers resting against the patient and supporting the hand, the forelinger is straightened so as to push the iinger piece and separate the frame and open the valves the necessary distance to eX- pand the walls of the cavity to the desired degree.

This device can be inserted with one hand, 1 expanded with one hand, held in place eX- panded with one hand, and then closed and removed with one hand, and its construction is such and it is so compact that it can be held firmly in position by resting the hand upon the body of the patient and manipulated by the fingers of that hand in such manner that the walls of the canal or cavity can be properly expanded and held expanded without danger that any voluntary or involuntary movement of the patient will dislocate the device or pull himself away from it, and this of course leaves the other hand of the operator free for the purpose of manipulating a spray, swab, or other treating appai ratus or operating tool or instrument.

The invention claimed is: on the outside of said sleeve, and a semi- A speeulum having :i sectional frame, said cylindrical valve attached to the end of each 1U sections having ouived bodies and parallel of the parallel frame limbsI substantially as limbs, a slide bar projecting from one freine specified.

5 body, a thumb and nger pad secured to the CHARLES H. BORDEN.

inside of said body and slide bai, a sleeve Witnesses: projecting from the othei frame body and HARRY R. VILLIAMs,

iitting the slide bai', a finger piece mounted JOSEPHINE M. STREMPFER. 

